A Victory for Home Care Workers and the Nation

“Nearly two million home care workers, their families and the people they care for can rest easier today thanks to long overdue regulations issued by the Labor Department that will ensure home care workers are protected by federal minimum wage and overtime protections. This is a tremendous victory for home care workers, fair pay, quality care and the well-being of our nation.

The home care workforce has been grossly undervalued for much too long. Ninety percent of home care workers in the country are women, and nearly half rely on public assistance to make ends meet because of poverty-level wages and few benefits – despite the critical care they provide to children, parents, grandparents and others in need. These regulations will help change this grave injustice and improve working conditions in an essential and growing industry.

We commend the Obama administration and Secretary Perez for issuing this rule. Worker protections like this one are vital to the strength and financial stability of America’s families and our economy. Lawmakers at all levels should commit to doing more. They can start by ensuring fair, living wages and establishing the basic paid sick days and paid family and medical leave standards the nation and its working families urgently need.”

Contact

The National Partnership for Women & Families is a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy group dedicated to promoting fairness in the workplace, access to quality health care and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of work and family. More information is available at www.NationalPartnership.org.